This document provides information about changing verb tenses when reporting someone's speech indirectly. It discusses how the verb tense changes when the reporting verb is in the simple past. For example, "The teacher is strict" becomes "She said the teacher was strict." It also discusses how modals like "will" and "can" change to "would" and "could" in indirect speech. Some modals like "should" and "might" do not change. Examples are provided to illustrate these tense and modal changes. The document concludes by noting that the past perfect, unreal conditionals, and past modals do not change in indirect speech.

1. Indirect Speech:
Tense Changes
Rumors and Gossip
10
Focus on Grammar 4
Part X, Unit 26
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.`

2. Larisa said that
the new teacher
had given all the
students an A
last semester.
Really! Viktor
told me that
students
could eat in
his class.
No, what is it?
Rumors and Gossip
Have you heard
the latest gossip
about the new
teacher?
Wow! Yeah, I
heard he was
an easy
teacher.
Maria said that
the new teacher
didn’t give any
homework.

3. Indirect Speech 1
When the reporting verb is in the simple past, the verb
tense in the indirect speech statement often changes.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Simple Present
Present Progressive
Simple Past Tense
Present Perfect
 Simple Past
 Past Progressive
 Past Perfect
 Past Perfect

4. Examples 1
“The
teacher
is strict.”
She said
the teacher
was strict.
“The teacher
is giving
everyone an
A.”
He said
the
teacher
was
giving
everyon
e an A.

5. Examples 2
“Somebody
put the final
exam on the
Internet.”
She said
somebody
had put the
final exam
on the
Internet.
“The
teacher has
graded our
grammar
tests.”
Joe said the
teacher had
graded our
grammar tests.

6. Practice 1
1. “The library is closed.” He said…
2. “We have registered for classes.” They said…
3. “She got an A on the test.” You said…
Change the direct speech
into indirect speech.
“My friend is helping me study.” She said…
Example:
She said her friend was helping her study.
He said the library was closed.
They said they had registered for classes.
You said she had gotten an A on the test.

7. Indirect Speech 2
Modals often change in indirect speech.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
will
can
may
must
 would
 could
 might
 had to

8. Examples 1
“The test
will be
difficult.”
He said the test
would be
difficult.
She said we
could use
our notes
on the test.
“You can
use your
notes on
the test.”

9. Examples 2
She said we
had to study
hard for the
final exam.
“You must
study hard
for the final
exam.”
“We may
have a
substitute
teacher.”
She said we
might have a
substitute
teacher.

10. Practice 2
1. “We’ll help you with your homework.” They said…
2. “Anna must finish her paper.” He said…
3. “She may take a different class.” You said…
Change the direct speech
into indirect speech.
“You can relax about the exam.” She said…
Example:
She said I could relax about the exam.
They said they would help me with my homework.
He said Anna had to finish her paper.
You said she might take a different class.

11. Indirect Speech 3
The following modals do not change in indirect
speech: should, could, might, and ought to.
“You
shouldn’t
tell this
secret to
anyone.”
She said I
shouldn’t tell
this secret to
anyone.
“You ought
to tell this to
a friend.”
! He said I
ought to tell
this to a
friend.

12. “I could have gotten help
from a tutor.”
He said he could have gotten
help from a tutor.
He said if he had studied, he
would have gotten an A.
“I thought I had chosen
the easy teacher.”
“If I had studied, I would
have gotten an A.”
He said he thought he had
chosen the easy teacher.
Indirect Speech 4
The following do not change in indirect speech: the
past perfect, the present and past unreal conditional,
and past modals.

13. Practice 3
1. “If I knew, I would tell you.” She said…
2. “I might have known the test was difficult.” He said…
3. “She had had that teacher before.” We said…
Change the direct speech
into indirect speech.
“We ought to study some more.” He said…
Example:
He said we ought to study some more.
She said if she knew, she would tell me.
He said he might have known the test was difficult.
We said she had had that teacher before.

14. References
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and
its licensors. All rights reserved.